Give a Man a Fish
by Tux mux
Summary: Inspired by a fortuitous meeting in New Orleans, Lawrence thinks back on a fortuitous meeting from his childhood.


A/N: This is an attempt as fleshing out Lawrence's character. The prompt was to take an aphorism and elaborate on it.  
All characters etc. belong to Disney.

**GIVE A MAN A FISH**

Lawrence had very few positive memories from his childhood. He was the youngest of three siblings, and his older brother and sister always bossed him around. His mother became domineering after his father left them when he was only two years old. His most significant memory was the day he got lost in the woods by the river. His mother had sent him out to gather wood for the stove, and the small boy had gotten lost. He was very happy to find the river, assuming that he could simply follow it until he recognized where he was. However, it seemed as if he had misjudged himself and was hopelessly lost. He was cold and very hungry, and he was getting tired from carrying the bundle of sticks he had gathered.

Thankfully, as he was wandering, he happened upon a man sitting by the edge of the river. His pants were rolled up, his feet dangled in the river, and he was unhooking a large fish from a handmade fishing rod. Several feet away, the man had started a fire, where it seemed likely that he was planning on cooking the fish. In spite of his timid nature, young Lawrence could not resist the warmth of the fire, and he quietly crept closer and closer to the flame. As he stepped out from behind a tree, the man finally finished taking his fish off of the line and turned around, just in time to see the boy before he scrambled back behind the tree.  
"Why hello there." The man had a comforting voice. "It's all right, son. You can come sit by my fire."

Lawrence knew that there was no point in continuing to pretend he wasn't there. He came out from behind the tree. "I'm sorry I was sneaking around like that. It's just that I've gotten lost, and I'm cold and hungry."

The man smiled. "Well, I'm just about to cook up this fish. Perhaps you wouldn't mind joining me for dinner?"

"Oh—oh no, I couldn't." Lawrence stuttered apologetically.

"Of course you can. Come, sit by the fire." The man patted the log upon which he was seated.

"If—if you're really sure it's all right." The man nodded. Lawrence walked up to the man and carefully seated himself. He watched the man sharpen a stick, unsure what it would be used for until the man skewered the fish and held it to roast over the open flame. They sat in silence as the fish cooked; perhaps the man realized that Lawrence was a shy boy, perhaps he was concentrating on cooking the fish. In any case, Lawrence was grateful for both the fire and the brief silence. The fish was soon finished cooking, however, and the man began to speak to Lawrence again as soon as he had taken the fish out of the fire.

"So where do you come from, son?"

Lawrence was startled from his thoughts. He stuttered. "Oh! I'm—my mother and my siblings and I, we live by the bridge just outside of Frianza." The man offered him some of the fish, and he took it gratefully. "Thank you very much, sir."

"Don't worry about it," the man said gently. "This is awfully far from Frianza for a little boy to be wandering all by himself. Are you lost, son?"

Lawrence was already chewing a large bite of fish, so he simply nodded. When he finally swallowed the piece of fish, he asked the man, "Do you know where I am? Can you help me get home?"

"Of course." The man smiled. "Just you let me know when you're done with that fish, and I will help you carry your bundle of wood right home."

"Th-thank you very much, sir."

The man continued to observe Lawrence. "Can I ask you a question, young man?" Lawrence nodded, another mouthful of fish. "Are you familiar with this saying? Give a man a fish, and he will eat for a day."

Lawrence swallowed and shook his head.

The man laughed. "That's only the first half of the saying. Do you know the other half?"

Lawrence shook his head again. "No, I'm afraid I've never heard it before."

The man smiled at him. "You should find out the answer to that question someday. If ever we meet again, I shall expect you to know."

Lawrence nodded. "I will find out, sir."

The man saw that the boy had eaten all the fish he had been given. "Are you finished eating, son? Have you had your fill?"

"Oh yes, thank you very much."

"Let's get you headed home then." The man picked up Lawrence's bundle of sticks, and led the boy off in the direction of his home.

Decades later and Lawrence had still never forgotten that day. In spite of all that had transpired since then, he still remembered the old man and his kindness. He had since discovered the second half of the mysterious man's riddle: _Teach a man to fish, and he will eat for a lifetime_. However, he had never had the opportunity to meet the man again and tell him his newfound knowledge. He had moved out of the little cottage in Frianza to become handservant to Prince Naveen of Maldonia, and had been shipped away with the Prince to America, a land of opportunity where the boy's parents hoped that he would learn to make an honest living for himself. Sadly, this had not been that case, and Naveen was still the same philandering scoundrel he had always been. That is, until they had followed the witch doctor into his den and fantastic events had transpired there.

Lawrence was both humiliated and in awe when the long-limbed man began to talk about his past in front of Prince Naveen, a past that he had never mentioned since coming into the employment of the Maldonian monarchy. Naveen appeared to be smirking, which made Lawrence irate. However, what happened after that was more than worth the temporary humiliation—Naveen had been turned into a frog, and Lawrence found himself inside the Prince's well-built, handsome body. Sometimes he found himself staring at himself in the mirror, admiring himself from all angles. He had noticed, of course, how attractive the Prince was, but until now he had always felt it improper to really look. Now, instead of his overgrown paunch of a belly, Lawrence had a svelte, toned waist; instead of scruffy jowls, he now had fine, handsome cheekbones; instead of a sagging bottom, he now had firm, pleasantly round buttocks. And to substitute for all the attributes Lawrence now possessed, Naveen now had slimy green skin and awkward frog proportions.

In exchange for these dashing good looks, all Lawrence had to do was marry the local rich girl, who was far from unattractive herself. He would never again have to worry about being cold or hungry or subordinate. He would never again have to concern himself with serving arrogant mothers or brothers or princes. He could never have asked for more. In some ways, the witch doctor reminded him of the man he had met long ago by the riverside. He had the same deep, soothing voice, if you really sat and just listened to him speak; even more, he had inspired Lawrence to become more than what he was. Give a man a fish, and he will eat for a day. _Give a man a frog_, thought Lawrence, _and he will eat for a lifetime_.


End file.
